Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to evaporative cooling systems and more particularly to evaporative cooling systems having housings that are transformable from a compact storage configuration to a larger operating configuration.
Related Art
Evaporative cooling systems have been available for many years. These systems operate by directing water onto an evaporative cooling medium and directing air over the evaporative cooling medium. As the air flows by or through the evaporative cooling medium, the water in or on the medium evaporates. The evaporation of the water cools the air, which can then be directed into a desired area (e.g., within a dwelling).
Evaporative cooling systems may be used to cool residential or commercial structures. A typical residential evaporative cooling system has a rigid enclosure that is located on the roof of the home. A fan is positioned within the enclosure. The enclosure has one or more sides that are open, except that they are covered by evaporative cooling media such as fibrous pads. A water circulation system pumps water to the top of the pads, where the water is allowed to drip onto the pads and to saturate the pads. When the fan is turned on, air flows into the enclosure through the pads and then flows through a duct into the home. As the air flows through the pads, heat from the air is absorbed by the water, causing the water to evaporate. This cools (and increases the humidity) of the e air in the enclosure in comparison to the air outside the enclosure.
Because evaporative cooling systems are dependent upon the evaporation of water to cool the air, their effectiveness is dependent upon the humidity of the air in the area in which they are used. The more humid the air, the less effective they are at cooling the air. Evaporative cooling systems are, however, advantageous in that they are generally simpler in design and less expensive to install, operate, and maintain than refrigerated cooling systems. Evaporative cooling systems can also be designed to be mobile, and relatively large evaporative cooling systems can be used effectively in temporary or emergency situations, or in large or relatively open areas.
Traditional evaporative cooling systems may be very useful in a number of situations, but they have some drawbacks. One significant disadvantage, particularly with respect to systems that are intended to be transportable, is that they may require a relatively large amount of space during operation and storage. For instance, typical portable evaporative cooling systems have large, rigid shrouds that provide a large area for the cooling medium and funnel the cooled air from the cooling medium to the fan. While it is desirable for the cooling medium to cover more area in order to provide more effective cooling, the larger the cooling area is, the more difficult it is to store and/or transport the system.
It would therefore be desirable to provide evaporative cooling systems that are more easily stored and transported than conventional systems.